The effect of cracks on the uniaxial elastic compression of rocks

作者：J. B. Walsh · 发表于：Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · 年份：1965 · DOI：10.1029/jz070i002p00399 · 被引用次数：667 · 研究领域：Geotechnical and Geomechanical Engineering、Rock Mechanics and Modeling、High-pressure geophysics and materials

Uniaxial elastic compression of rocks is characterized by nonlinear stress-strain behavior and hysteresis. Both effects, which are due to cracks, are analyzed here. An isotropic solid filled with a low concentration of planar elliptical cracks is used as a model. Young's modulus for an elastic solid containing cracks is less than that for an identical solid without cracks. The cracks close under increasing compressive stress, causing an increase in modulus. However, even when applied stress is sufficient to close all cracks, the modulus may still not be equal to that of solid material, since frictional sliding at crack faces can occur. It is shown that cracks which have slid do not immediately slide in the opposite sense when the load is lowered; thus Young's modulus for the material without cracks can be found by measuring the initial slope of the unloading part of the stress-strain curve of a cracked material.